adminMukudzei Chingwere
LEGENDARY Warriors’ captain Peter “Nsukuzonke” Ndlovu may have put to rest debate on who the greatest player to emerge from Zimbabwe is.
This follows his sentiments that Dynamos great George Shaya is the best ever and not him as a large section of the football fraternity has always believed. For many Ndlovu is the doyen of Zimbabwean football having spent 13 years playing in England, the longest stay by any African in the English game.
He won the 1990 and 1991 Soccer Star of the Year award as a teenager before migrating to England where he joined Coventry City. At national level, Ndlovu is regarded as the greatest Warrior of all time having captained Zimbabwe to their first ever Afcon appearance in 2004.
But the “Flying Elephant”, who remains a unifying force amongst Zimbabwean football supporters, believes Shaya to be better.
“It is always good, it is always great to be recognised, hopefully it will not only be me but other legends also need to be recognised.
“We might have our individual awards but George Shaya remains the greatest of all time,” said Ndlovu. The legendary former Highlanders attacker also said winning these individual awards comes with a lot of pressure which usually distract players.
“You see, when you win the Soccer Star of the Year you are always encouraged to do well. (But) you see when you win things like this it comes with a lot of pressure.
“When you have done well it is always hard to maintain . . . I just want to thank the media as well for talking well about these players and marketing them abroad,” said Ndlovu.
Shaya is regarded as one of the best having been voted Soccer Star of the Year a record five times during his time in the 1960s and 1970s. He was also part of the Rhodesian national side that almost qualified for the 1970 World Cup finals.
Online Reporter